


in a few weeks i will get time (to realise it's right before my eyes)

by littleghost



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7764139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleghost/pseuds/littleghost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Prince Ronan of Barns was born, he was betrothed to Prince Adam of Columbia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	in a few weeks i will get time (to realise it's right before my eyes)

When Prince Ronan of Barns was born, he was betrothed to Prince Adam of Columbia. Columbia was many, many leagues away from Barns, and visits to see Prince Adam weren’t taken. The only communication between the two princes was a series of letters, starting when Prince Adam had learned to write legibly, but the letters tapered off the older they got.

Prince Ronan was mischievous, and began to resent having a betrothed. A betrothed meant he would have to leave the Barns, which was full of many creatures who he loved and loved him. Columbia was written as a boring land, full of politicians and not much woods. However, he accepted his fate, for his marriage with Prince Adam would determine the marriage of his brother Matthew, and would gives Barns a much needed ally.

When he became of age, he was to travel to Columbia for his wedding. It was a long journey, so King Niall hired Ronan a servant for the journey, Kavinsky. Kavinsky was not a servant, only a rogue who knew the best route to Columbia.

Fearful for her son, Queen Aurora pricked her finger and let three drops of blood fall onto a piece of cambric. She then blessed it in front of the altar and took it to her son. “Here,” she said, “keep this on you and it will keep you strong on your journey.”

Ronan took it from her and put it into his breast pocket, near his heart. He then gave Matthew a hug and took his horse, Opal, a wild filly who would only let Ronan ride her, and began the journey with Kavinsky beside him.

They rode for some time, and Ronan became very thirsty. They stopped beside a stream and he ordered Kavinsky, “Go fill my cup with water.”

Kavinsky replied, “I am not your servant, you will drink from the stream yourself.” Ronan did so, for Kavinsky had a wickedly sharp blade, and he knew the stories. As he knelt by the stream, the drops of blood said to him, “If your mother knew about this, it would break her heart.” 

Ronan said nothing, for he was fearful of Kavinsky’s dagger. And so they rode until the next day, and Ronan became very thirsty again. They stopped by a stream and he said, “Go fill my cup with water.”

Kavinsky pointed his dagger at Ronan and said, “You will drink from the stream yourself.” And as Ronan knelt by the stream, the piece of cambric slipped from his pocket, unnoticed by Ronan. However, Kavinsky did, and as Ronan approached Opal he said, “Give me Opal, for this nag suits you better.”

Ronan did as he was told, for he was weak without his mother’s love and he feared  Kavinsky’s blade. As they switched horses, Kavinsky also forced them to trade clothes, and he made Ronan swear to the heavens that he would tell no one of what had transpired.

When they reached Columbia many days later, Kavinsky was received as Prince Ronan. Ronan was left to tend to the horses, and Opal tried to reassure him as he put her in the stables.

The King asked Kavinsky, “Who is the man that accompanied you?”

Kavinsky replied, “He is my servant. Give him something to do so he does not idle.”

There were no positions within the castle, but the raven boy, Noah, could use some help. And thus Ronan began to help tend to the ravens, even though his place was beside Prince Adam.

Ronan had only caught glimpses of Prince Adam, but every time he did his heart stuttered. Prince Adam had sharp cheekbones, and deep blue eyes like the dreaming pools in Barns. He was toned, and his bones were delicate, and Ronan wanted him. He felt bad for not replying to any of the letters, as one came once a month even after Ronan stopped reading and replying.

Maybe if he had done so, he would not be in this position.

But Ronan could tell no one, and so he tended to the ravens with Noah, who was pale and quiet, and the ravens followed him. The ravens also followed Ronan, as most animals did, and he was glad for it. He often spent time in the stables with Opal, grooming her as she let no stable hand do so.

Prince Adam went on rides often, and he was occasionally in the stable the same time as Ronan. They said nothing to each other, but Ronan would steal looks at the Prince, drinking in his fill. 

On one such occasion, Kavinsky was with him, as Prince Adam wanted them to ride together. Kavinsky went for Opal, but she snapped at him and moved away from his touch. The Prince watched with something akin to amusement, before he offered Kavinsky one of his own stallions.

As Ronan reached out to calm Opal, who quieted under his hand, Prince Adam smiled at him. Ronan’s heart skipped.

Many, many weeks had passed, and Kavinsky was still thought to be the Prince of Barns. However, Prince Adam was not as endeared to this man as he once was, and was distrustful of him. He reread his letters from Prince Ronan, and noticed how he seemed to talk of animals very often, of his brother Matthew, of adventuring around his home. So Prince Adam began to test his husband.

The first test was the ride, and Opal, the horse he arrived on, did not let him near her. Prince Adam had heard that she let no one near her save the new raven boy, who was loved by all the animals within the kingdom.

His second test was about his family. His husband had failed, saying his brothers were Brenden and Andrew. This was very much unlike Prince Ronan, who spoke highly of Matthew even if he never mentioned Declan.

He never did his final test, for he decided to approach the new raven boy instead. No one knew his name, and he soon had been called Raven, as he was almost never seen without one.

“Raven,” Adam called, as he reached the aviary. Noah was nowhere to be found, but Raven was feeding the birds.

Ronan turned, thinking someone had called him by his name, to see Prince Adam smiling at him. His breath caught in his chest but he forced himself to get up, and walk over. “How may I help you, Your Highness?” He asked.

Prince Adam’s eyes roamed over him, as if sizing him up. “I don’t suppose there is a reason why Prince Ronan is not loved by animals, although my letters to him in our youth says otherwise, or why he calls his brothers Brendan and Andrew?” The Prince asked.

Ronan clenched his fists. “I cannot say, as I swore not to.”

Prince Adam nodded, before whistling sharply. One of the meaner ravens swooped down to land on his shoulder, taking the Prince’s ear into its beak. “Then maybe you can tell Chainsaw here, who will tell me it later.”

As if to demonstrate what the Prince meant, the raven opened its mouth and warbled out, “ _ audentes fortuna iuvat _ .” Ronan glared at it, and it looked back, almost smugly. The corner of Prince Adam’s lips quirked up, and Ronan huffed a sigh. He outstretched his arm and Chainsaw hopped on it.

He wandered into a far corner of the aviary and told how Kavinsky is a false prince. When he was done, the raven flew back to Prince Adam, and Ronan waited before going back to the Prince.

Adam furrowed his brows as Chainsaw repeated what the raven boy— _ Ronan _ had told her. He wanted to confront Kavinsky about it immediately, but he was distracted by Ronan. Ronan, who had pale skin and crystal blue eyes and the tendrils of a tattoo peeking over his shirt collars. Ronan, who sneaked looks at Adam when he thought Adam wasn’t looking. Ronan, who was the boy Adam fell in love with through letters.

“Prince Ronan, I would like for you to dine beside me today and if you my wish it, a chance for revenge.” Adam said, and Ronan grinned, a bit madly.

“Of course I wish it,” he replied, and they walked back to the castle together, where Ronan was fitted with clothes worthy of a prince.

During dinner, Ronan’s knee would brush Adam’s, and he would have to work to keep his smile down. Midway through, Kavinsky appeared, and he was angered by the sight of Ronan in his usual spot. He marched over to the two of them, demanding, “What is the meaning of this?”

“Kavinsky,” Adam said, relishing in the way the man’s eyes widened, “what is the proper punishment for someone who deceives the Prince?”

Kavinsky stammered out his answer, but Adam gestured for the guards to take him before he could finish. Ronan knocked his knee against Adam’s and grinned. Adam grinned back, and after dinner they escaped to the gardens, which were empty at this time.

Prince Adam—”Adam, please.”—took Ronan’s hand, clasping their fingers together as they walked throughout the garden. They didn’t say anything for a long time, until they stopped beside a bench and Adam pulled Ronan down beside him. He cupped Ronan’s face, searching his eyes for something. Whatever it was, he must have found it, for his smile was soft and breathtaking.

Ronan wasn’t able to breath in the face of that smile, or the kiss that followed.

**Author's Note:**

> based on the grimm fairy tale [the goose girl](http://pinkmonkey.com/dl/library1/story060.pdf)
> 
> title from two door cinema club's [what you know](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXwYJyrKK5A). i was originally going to call this "the raven boy" because it's right there, but it was a bit too on the nose.
> 
> what chainsaw says (audentes fortuna iuvat) means "fortune favors the bold." so ronan should take it like "nothing's going to change unless you tell the truth c'mon!!!"
> 
> (also i posted this aug 13th est ao3 u lying liar)


End file.
